How to Combine Functionality and Style in Home Design
BESPOKE BRIDES BEST BITS 2019
This year was Bespoke Brides 8th year! Can you believe?!?! Some days it all still feels so new to me, I’m still constantly learning and this year has presented it’s own fair share of lessons. Other days, I can’t imagine a life without it? Who would I be or what would I be doing instead? In many ways this blog has defined who I am. I feel I’ve grown so much as a person in the last 8 years and I’m sure Jess will agree she feels the same about her own personal journey. When we started this blog I was 25 and Jess was just 20 years old. The following year I met a guy, fell in love and it wasn’t long until we were living together, got engaged and now 8 years later – the year 2019, will forever be known as the year we got married!
2019 has been a big year for Jess and I personally. Whilst I was busy trying to find a wedding dress, Jess was planning the trip of a life time. After visiting Cancun, Mexico for what must have been the millionth time (slight exaggeration, but I suspect I’m not too far of – even she’s lost count!), Jess had decided to spend a little more time in the country she’d come to love so much (she wrote a guide to visiting Isla Mujeres here) and spent three months living and travelling around Mexico, even celebrating ‘Day of the Dead’ in Mexico City and visiting the natural phenomenon that is Hierve El Agua.
I’m sure Jess will have lots more to say about her trip in the New Year but whilst she settles back in the UK and recovers from serious jet lag, you can see a ton of photos from her trip on her personal Instagram.
Meanwhile, after months of searching me and Mr T had finally found our wedding venue, I was so excited and couldn’t wait to tell everyone. By now, it’d all started to feel very real and time was seeming to fly. The month after, we sent out our ‘save the dates‘, which Jess designed and as you guys loved it so much we created a free downloadable template. By now I was on a role and had booked most of our suppliers including Loved Up Films who filmed our engagement video and was just a sneak peek of what was to come.
As the summer come around and with only a few months left until Mr T and I said ‘I Do’, it was time for the real celebrations to begin. Jess had planned not one but two hen parties, the first in Burano, Venice, which can only be described with one word ‘EPIC’!! (Click to see the goody bags she made for us all!) The second was a little more closer to home but just as amazing as Jess recreated my love of Palm Springs with a themed three course vegan meal at Botanica Coffee Kitchen in Cheltenham.
Feeling a little frazzled from all the wedding planning and partying, Mr T and I decided to have one last holiday together before we officially become husband and wife and headed off on a road trip around Kefalonia. If finances allow, I would highly recommend taking a break together beforehand, it was much needed and gave us time to recharge before finally, having the most amazing day of our lives on our wedding day – Phew!! What a year!
But that’s not all! Whilst all this was going on, Jess and I still had a business to run and this year we launched 6 new products in our shop, starting with a new range of Spice Girls Stickers, which have quickly become one of our most popular items to date. Not long after, we launched our Spice Girls Photo Booth Props, followed by our Queen Bey Quote Eye Masks and from one queen to another, our Queer Eye Quote Stickers, which you guys have loved!! Not only that, we redesigned our very popular Hen Party & Bachelorette Games in 10 different printable designs so that there was really something for everyone.
Speaking of printables, the most popular post of 2019 was this Free Printable Wedding Ice Breaker Game. DIY’s were again your favourite types of posts and you especially loved our DIY Hula Hoop Balloon Wreath and these Stamped Marble Cookies. 
As for inspiration our readers admired the details in this Fun Feminine Bridal Shoot, were buzzing for the Coachella Desert Dance Party Wedding’ and swooned over this Dia De Los Muertos Inspired Wedding, whilst the award for most ‘Likes’ on Instagram and most ‘Repins’ on Pinterest goes to this Taylor Swift Inspired Styled Shoot.
2019 really was a life-changing year and I can’t wait to see what 2020 brings. There is a lot of uncertainty however, Jess and I both took a small step back from the business this year. It was the first time it wasn’t our first priority and I’d say that’s brought with it a whole new set of questions about our future. A lot has changed in a year, we’ve both discovered new values and 2020 will be a time of discovering how those new values not only fit into our lives but our business too. Uncertainty can be worrying, but it can also be exciting too. There might be challenges ahead but I know one thing for sure for as long as you guys are around to support us, we’ll keep doing what we love to do best. So here’s to happy and healthy 2020!!
Such a great round-up of the year! Especially love those save the dates!